1960 Oil Cap

[Donald H.]

I know how to identify a correct oil cap, however, I'm not sure about the finish. The TIM & JG says specifically that the high horsepower cars used a non-vented cad plated cap.

I know the low HP caps are vented, but were they also cad plated?

I see one on Ebay that looks correct, but it is black, not plated and rather expensive ($175). I assume these were used on other than corvettes?

Any suggestions on where to find one?

Thanks,

Don

[Joe M.]

Re: 1960 Oil Cap

Donald, if you have Bob Baird's Restoration Handbook, he has a very good writeup with excellent photos of the caps. I believe they were cad plated. If original, it will have 3 rectangular-shaped crimps around the base of the cap; dividing it roughly into 1/3s. One of the "O's" is lightly stamped and the original bases are thinner than the repro. Also, the rivet that holds the cap to the retainer is different; has more of a rolled-over edge where it was peened. The spring clip is wider on the originals and there are two long "bumps" that prevent the spring clip from rotating on the originals.

On a side note, I completed the Ops portion of my Flight judging on Thursday afternoon. I cost myself 20 points on cold start high idle by backing off the idle screw too far the night before and the engine did not achieve high idle. Lost 5 points because my newly restored windshield washer system did not operate as original (according to judging manual). It squirts, wipers turn on high speed, a few wipes and they park. They are supposed to go from high to low then park. Tom Maxwell informed me that they either work correctly or they don't. He suggested turning the cycle adjustment screw on the side of the pump, but that only adjusts the number of wipes before they park. Five points is not huge, but I paid a lot of money for what I thought would be a properly functioning washer system.